I am a Washington Nationals season ticket holder whose son fell in love with the presidents race from that day in July, 2006 when big-headed Teddy Roosevelt first came up short. Since 2006, our chants of “Let Teddy Win!” during the presidents race were an attempt add fun to game day at RFK and later Nationals Park, and help turn more and more young people into Washington Nationals fans.

In the years since, we’ve been featured on ESPN, FOX, ABC News, NPR, MLB Network, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, USA Today, The Washington Post, The Huffington Post, Roll Call, Politico, and countless other print, online, and radio outlets. Who could have guessed?

I had no idea what I was getting into when I started this blog, but it’s been a great learning experience and has introduced me to many wonderful members of the Nats community including employees, bloggers, and fans. It has quickly become your forum. Thank you for your photos, videos, texts, and tweets which help keep the site updated (If you have a tip or would like to contribute, please let me know). Now that Teddy has won his first race, I don’t know where things will lead, but as long as people still want to read about the goings-on inside Nationals Park, we’ll keep on blogging.

JOIN THE FUN

If you’d like to join the fun and support the blog, we have t-shirts, campaign buttons, holiday ornaments and other cool items available for purchase at LetTeddyWin.com. The products are printed to order and shipped by CafePress, and are of very high quality. Everything is backed by the excellent CafePress 100% Satisfaction Guarantee. Your purchases support this blog with a typical mark-up of a few dollars, sometimes less. If you have feedback or ideas for new items or designs, please send them to scott@letteddywin.com.

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Sorry that I don’t know your name. I just wanted to say that I cam across this website on FARK or DIGG a few months back, and since then I have been transfixed with the idea of “let teddy win!”. I think it is a great tradition for DC, and I also think it is a great pop culture icon. With today’s world that is seemingly focused on death and destruction, this is a great little reminder to have some fun, and to cheer for a cause. Heck, the 08′ presidential race is getting so crazy that I sometimes check to see what is happening with Teddy more then I do that out of control fiasco called a presidential race. Thanks for updating the site, I always check in here from Detroit and I hope to one day see the headline “Teddy Wins! :-D

Thanks, Scott. That’s so nice! I had no idea that this little whim would develop such a big following so quickly, but it’s very gratifying and sure adds to the fun! I hope we’ll get to see you at Nationals Park sometime.

Hey – sorry about not getting back to you but my Boyfriend and I met you last night at the game when we were taking pics with Teddy before the game. I meant to email you aour names for the flickr site sorry I waited the whole day.

My conclusion is that the Lerners are not baseball people; they are wealthy entrepreneurs who see an MLB team as a personal jewel. And, they are right it is, but they are making the fan base pick up the tab for a ridiculous program. Their business plan is not a baseball plan. A prime example of their lack of baseball savvy is the announced “Main Event” at every single home game. Do you know what the “Main Event” is to the the Lerners? No, not the baseball game. It is The Presidents’ Race. That is their “Main Event” Now why are we paying $300.00 a seat (or for those really close to the pitiful performances, $400.00 per seat), or $150.00 a seat, or $60.00 a seat, or $55.00 a seat, etc. for the “Main Event” to be four dummies running on the warning track for 2 minutes? I thought the Main Event was the ball game! How embarrassing for our players to be associated with such a stupid, double A event as the Presidents’ Race. How demeaning. Why should they take themselves seriously, if the Lerners do not take baseball seriously? If the players do not take themselves seriously, they won’t perform; a simple truth. And, there’s Manny, doing that ridiculous commercial with Teddy, while Teddy acts disinterested in Manny’s instructions – and throws a paper plane at him. It is not funny, but it is revealing that Manny is not taken seriously. It does show how the Lerners see Manny. You’d think Manny would have some pride and refuse to be portrayed in that way. When the manager is made to look like a fool, how committed could the Lerners be to baseball, or to that manager? They are not. They are serious about their business plan, however. It looks like the plan is to create a food court around a baseball field where dummies run the warning track to entertain the fans and FunLand is right around the bend to provide more entertainment – such as guitar hero and other electronic games. You see, the idea is to create an entertainment experience and base ball is just a part of it. With that business plan, the Lerners will make much money, while baseball goes in the toilet in Washington, D.C. If the Lerners where baseball people, they would know there is a Ted Williams legacy, and a Walter Johnson Legacy, etc. to live up to. The next time you go to the Stadium and look at that great historical timeline on the wall, image the Presidents’ Race showing up in the time line. What an addition to baseball history that would be! As long as the Nationals team is “a part” of the entertainment experience, in stead of the main event, that historical time line will be frozen where it is and Ground Hog’s Day will be forever. The Lerners need to cut all ticket prices in half next year and they need to get serious about baseball. The Lerners are now the keepers of the flame and it is flickering, badly. Were I to advise the Lerner Family, I would say this: “Think about your potential place in history and don’t be the owners that fans for decades-to-come will look back at and laugh as that family of mall builders who were not baseball people. You have an opportunity in the timeline of baseball, so, don’t balk and don’t go down looking. You do know what those terms mean, don’t you?”

Anonymous, I welcome your opinion but must respectfully disagree. The Washington Nationals have the worst record in baseball yet just managed to continue to draw crowds of over 30,000 in the midst of a 10-game losing streak during the Olympics. Maybe they shouldn’t introduce it as “the main event,” but the Nationals presidents race gets fans talking and brings them to the ball park.

I have two kids who would not have dreamed of missing Teddy’s t-shirt night last week. They didn’t start out with the slightest interest in baseball, but promotions drew them in and now in the Nationals’ fourth season, they follow the team and could explain with pride the nuances of the infield fly rule and the unique ground rules of Nationals Park.

All this translates into revenue for the team, which from where I sit appears to pretty consistently be spent on scouting and young prospects. Last year the Nationals showed great creativity in signing all of their picks and had the top-rated draft in baseball. This year they signed all but one of their picks (and the one stubborn pitcher that didn’t sign was offered more by the Nats than any other pitcher got in the draft).

You say that the Lerners have no baseball savvy but I’m not sure what evidence you’re looking for, or what you’re asking them to do. Shut down the in-game promotions? Cut ticket prices in half? Go out and sign free agents? Doesn’t sound that savvy to me.

You’re right Presidents Race. It is the absolute opposite of savvy to slash prices and then pursue free agents. But they should pursue FAs more aggressively, especially pitchers. The Nats bats are steadily improving, but their pitching staff isn’t and has perenially been among the worst in baseball. The Presidents Race is a great promotion, a fun one to watch, but I agree with anonymous; it shouldn’t be promoted as the main event. Promotions mean nothing if the team isn’t winning. Washington hasn’t sent a team to the World Series since 1924; it more than anyone except the Cubs deserves a winner.

I am a die-hard Yankees fan. My fiance is a die-hard Phillies fan. And we love coming down to see the Nationals. We have the GW bobblehead and made the trip to Washington just for the bobblehead (we are disappointed that we could not make the trip three more times to get the other bobbleheads). Promotions bring people to the park. And coming to the park increases fans. I love the President’s race and have told everyone I know about it. It makes them want to go to Washington to see it for themselves, even if they aren’t Nationals fans. And the new ballpark is BEAUTIFUL!!!! I can’t wait to get down again for another game.

We have a goal to visit every ballpark in the country at least once and when we book tickets, we look for the days that offer promotions. It’s a great memory of the game.

I’d like to believe that, no matter how well a team performs, the players like to see the seats filled with people cheering for them. It has to be a morale booster. I think stadiums should do whatever it takes to get butts in the seats and create fans. It’s good to get kids to the park and have some time in the fresh air with their families. I don’t have children yet, but when I do, I can’t wait to take them to their first ball game.

Yes, the game is important, but it is a game. And it should be FUN for the players and the fans. I see the Nationals having five mascots that keep the crowd alive. And it’s a very good thing.

My husband was a Mlwk Brewer batboy and has been a diehard Brewer fan for 40 years. Several years ago when the Brewers instituted the “sausage races” this proud german found even more to love about his team. So when we moved to DC this past year one of our DC area friends gifted us with his Teddy R bobblehead and the story of the presidents races. My husband, reacting with home team loyalty, accused the Nats of copying the Brewer sausage races idea and declared the Rushmores could never be as good.

Then we attended our first Nats game at RFK in Sept ’07. The Nats were dissappointing and the Philly fans around us were annoying but the presidents race charmed us. Those costumes are wonderfully ridiculous and endlessly entertaining – so much more than a sausage. And the whole idea is perfect for a town that takes its national politics and politicians way too seriously much of the time. We attended 8 Nats games this season always gleefully looking forward to the Rushmore Races. And Teddy not ever winning? What a great goofy gimick! Bring ‘em on!

Love the sight and have forwarded it to many people.
Got me a bumper sticker too.

But I call into question whether T.R. would approve of the term “Let Teddy Win.”

By his own merit he became Governor of New York and a professional historian, naturalist, explorer, hunter, author, and soldier.
He gained the title “Trust Buster” not because he believed every man has a right to success but that at the starting line of all of our endeavors, all men should be equal.
In his life he took victory, it was not given.
Let us not ask for that which he would not.
Oh so sweet the victory after so many bitter defeats.
Go Nats. Win Teddy! Win Teddy

I found this site thanks to Jeff Passan’s recent Hot Stove piece about the Nationals (maybe not the most sincere reference, but I guess it works).

A few friends and I drove down to DC for the last game at RFK back in ’07 and we had a ton of fun. Much of this had to do with the fact that we don’t get stuff like this in New York City (or Boston or Philadelphia, for that matter).

As a freelance sportswrtier, I guess that I am supposed to toe the line with the anonymous writer who essentially ripped apart the notion of actually having fun at a game. I’m supposed to honor the game by not giving in to these so-called shenanigans. Yet, as with your children, this is bringing people to the park. Provided that the Nationals invest their resources into the team, the Presidents Race is a small bit of honey to attract the bees. I’m just happy to have found a place that actually tracks Teddy’s progress. Mucho thanks.

Great blog, found you after seeing the awesome article and documentary about our beloved Teddy! I first discovered the Presidential Race while in DC the first summer they had the bobbleheads. I only got two of the four but at least one of those two is TEDDY! Go Teddy Go!